53 comments:

Sure was of compared to Virginia ODP! I applaud VA! Looked like teams were bused in together, ate together and engaged in team building activities. Not sure about the other states or 6:30's Jersey team experience, but my Jersey girl enjoyed the weekend. It was organized enough for us.

Just attended the ODP friendlies and it was completely worthless. Our state association does not cut players and does not have an A, B, C team structure. They have the best players playing with kids that do not play club soccer. Short team financial gain for the association, but most of the talented kids are quitting. ODP is not what it should be, it's a money making scheme.

1:34 - Did you stop to consider that perhaps your State's ODP program has the "best" players play with kids that do not play club soccer is intentional to see if the kids that perhaps have not yet risen to the top, or have not had the opportunity to do so, have the potential to be developed to do so? VA Friendlies is an assessment tool, it is not supposed to be an ultra-competitive tournament. So-called A, B, and C teams may not even be established based on order of strength.

7:13 - You may be thinking of EPA teams, not VA teams. EPA kids traveled and roomed together (no parents), which is part of the off-field behavior and maturity development and assessment process.

Tough Crowd in Jersey. What made the experience "unorganized"? For us, information was communicated in a timely manner, updates sent to address additional details, coaches were on fields when stated they would be.

I can understand being frustrated with being teamed up with less skilled players. Confused about the unorganized comments..

Not from NJ, but how much earlier would you suggest 8:26am? The Region 1 Tournament is 3+ months away. Why wouldn't they want to evaluate their players over a weekend with 3 matches to really see what they can do and how they might contribute to the team at a certain position. You seem to be wanting to throw kids away too early. Coaches may see something in players that an untrained parent's eye does not, or coaches may want to see how those players can step up and fill a need. I don't know when the NJ ODP selection process started, or whether you have regular training between now and the Region 1 Tournament, but it seems like a good idea to use the Friendlies to get a final, best look at all the players.

@8:26 Ok.. although I think your thought is cynical, I did chuckle when reading it.

Skilled coach-able intelligent players can quickly adjust to new teammates and style of play. Development is messy - Success is not a straight line. I'm sure if your kid had a an off tryout day early in process you would be more appreciative of the extra phases. Then consider... Some players look amazing in small sided training games, but put them on a big field and they fizzle with little impact to team. Other players prove themselves to be more dynamic in a competitive match.

The tryout process for NJ started in the summer. It consisted of 4 tryout dates, 6 training sessions and 3 games in Virginia. Thats more sessions then all the practices they will be getting if they make the team. You should be able to select the team in half that time. Unless your objected is to keep more players around to collect more money.

@10:54 You stated "Some players look amazing in small sided training games, but put them on a big field and they fizzle with little impact to team. Other players prove themselves to be more dynamic in a competitive match" Then just have them play 11v11 earlier on in the tryout process. Simple fix!!! Nothing cynical in my thoughts. BTW - I did get a chuckle reading your naive comment.

VA also starts in the summer -- 2 tryouts in August to select 5 geographic District pools. Those District pools train for 8 sessions in the fall. Then those players have 2 tryout sessions in Nov/Dec for the State pool. The State pool trains for 8 sessions over the winter (outdoor). The Friendlies is the last event until 2 more training sessions in May before the Region 1 ODP Tournament. The tournament teams don't get selected until right before those last 2 sessions.

It's interesting to compare how different each state runs their program.

@3:39. The NJ 03's and 04's are similar VA. The first open tryout was 4 session - 1 per district ($40). The second phase ($50) is like VA's District pool. Select players invited to 3 more evaluations in their designated district. The final phase ($100) select players invited back for 3 training sessions and VA Friendly ($150). Not sure about the orther age/gender...04 girls didn't play as 'district teams'. 3 positionally balanced teams.

VA had more training sessions. How much did VA cost? How were VA friendly teams choosen? per district? Or position?

@ 6:10 VA District training is $335 for eight training sessions and two additional State ID days that VYSA calls inter-district scrimmages. The players are ranked at the district level and evaluated at the inter-districts for entry into the State Pool.

State Pool is another $345 for eight training sessions leading up to the VA Friendlies. There are two training sessions leading up to the ODP Region I Tournament. VYSA has their own training facility which are fantastic playing fields.

VA Friendlies are $330. The teams are housed together, eat together and are transported to and from matches throughout the weekend with the exception of Friday. State association polo shirt also has to be purchased which is $38. Teams at the 04 and 03 level are equally distributed. They tier the teams for Region I ODP Tournament for 02s and above but not sure if they are tiered at the VA Friendlies yet.

There is also an international trip for 03s and 01s this year to Germany which is $3100. The international teams played together for the VA Friendlies with the exception of the players who were rostered for the 03 Region I team that played at the Friendlies.

Region I Tournament fee is roughly $330 to $345 but they are also bused to the event, housed together and eat together.

For VA, teams for VA Friendlies are generally not tiered even for the older ages. Coaches try to balance the teams. The exceptions are the international teams that 8:19 mentioned, and 00G had their roster for the National Championships play together for the Friendlies. It makes sense they would use those matches to prep for this weekend.

I agree with a lot said. I have had two boys in the NJ program. Its tough to compare NJ with VA just because of the size of the state and their proximity to academy programs. I would have to agree from my experience that the teams should be picked a lot earlier or just have the tryout at a later date. There must be a reason for keeping the extra players involved for a longer period time wether it would be to create more revenue or to make people happy to come back. If my sons had not made it in the past, I would not have been upset but would probably like to have had them join another additional program earlier on, instead of being dragged through a long tryout process.

Not all the players attend all the events and still make the program. A year ago a player on my sons team attended one tryout in the summer and the last two in April and still made the team. It would be interesting to see if VA would allow. (Please don't get mad with my thoughts, I saw earlier someone else get mad at an earlier post from someone for no reason)

The reason to have an extended tryout is to keep players involved. Wether that is to make money now or to have them think that they are close to making the team so they return next year to try out to pay more money.

3/1 - 10:54 - i disagree. the skill levels are so far off it can be very hard for a skilled player to play with someone who doesn't know how to make a run, get to a laid off ball, etc. I know they are friendlies so some of it is to see how the talent will work together as not everyone has to play in the Region 1 tourney (unlike the friendlies were everyone plays).

And, the refing was worse than high school. If soccer wants to improve anything, start with the refereeing. Payments should be based on performance. I don't mean outcomes, but correct calls. They should be mostly correct not mostly incorrect. Can't teach and develop the kids if the refs don't know either.

@10:28 - I have had a player in the NJ program for a few years. My son enjoys it so I continue doing it but I agree that players should not be charged to tryout. Lets just say they have about 1,000 players tryout for both girls and boys, and they charge $50 a player just to tryout, thats $50,000. Surely thats cover way more then all the tryout expenses.

So my son made the NJ ODP team again. But I don't understand the purpose of the program other than just an additional place for him to play. Considering that there is no longer a link between the Region 1 ODP team and US youth national teams, it seems like it is no longer an identification program. Does anyone have any more information they can share with me on that. If that is the case I don't see any reason for driving him an hour to practice each way for 10 to 12 practices when he can do supplemental playing closer to home. Additionally, my son really enjoyed his coach last year, who seems not be involved anymore with NJ ODP, and doesn't really like his coach for this year.

That isn't trueThere is extensive national scouting done at the ODP thanksgiving interregional. The ussf sends a u14 or u15 national "team" to play in the u16 bracket. Last year the u14 won all games except for a 4-0 trouncing by our region 1 team. One of those kids was invited to national camp at least in part as a result of her success in that game.

ODP needs to get back to focusing on development. I feel they are trying too hard to make money. The money will come if you continue to focus on the best training possible. I feel things have improved since we first started. It's going to take a few years for things to get better.Thanks! Charlie - www.Soccerhotspot.com

5/17 - 8:47 - regional stuff is outstanding. Getting a full team of high level players in some states is a problem now; especially at the older ages. Many doing ECNL or Nat'l League and don't have time for ODP/state. What will GDA do to ODP? Any of those kids and there are a lot, can't participate.

Charlie is spot on. ODP is now focusing on quantity over quality of participants which in the long run will decrease the numbers not raise them. Most of the good players in our area have already quit due to the lack of competitive sessions because of who they let in the program. ODP should not be for everyone. That is what rec soccer is for.

My prediction is that ODP rises up as a real college ID platform once again.Top ECNL boys and girls will be looking for another venue in which to distinguish themselves as they eschew the DA for HS soccer and ECNL.

How about this for a recommendation for next year's ODP program for MSYSA (MD):

All age group head coaches should have at least a USSF B license (yes higher licensing matters)All age group head coaches should have experience coaching in more competitive regional leaguesMore inter State friendlies to increase competitive playing environment

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